Electrical connector plug



Nov; 21, 195o J. E. WILSON ELECTRICAL CONNECITOR PLUG.

Filed ug.

v INVENTR. -JAMES E owlN WILSON BY FIG.6

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention described hereinmay be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to conductor connections.

rihe objectionable features and effects from the use of the conventional telephone plug for telephone switch boards and for other uses are well known, and in order to overcome some of the principal objections improved plugs have beenA devised in which the cord is led from the plug by a connection at right angles to the aXis ofthe coaxial connectors.

The advanages of the last-mentioned type of plug in economizing space, minimizing deterioration of the cord where it enters the plug and beyond, lessening liability of the plug being drawn from or loosened in the socket by the weight of the cord, and otherwise, are Well understood.

It is a purpose of the present invention to offer a new and novel construction in a coaxial connector plug with right angle cord outlet, which will be economical to manufacture; which will be very small in size, yet amply @riective in insulation of conductors; the connections to which may be made readily and quickly by the service man or even a novice telephone user, in conventional ways. It is an advantage of the invention that it enables the making of soldered or binding screw connections in a very small plug base, with ample room for wire slack to minimize liability of breakage r loosening of such connections.

In order to more clearly disclose the construction, operation and use of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present application. Throughout the severalgures oi the drawings like reference characters designate the saine parts in the different views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the invention, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a right hand elevation oi Fig; 1;'

Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with the removable cap member omitted;

Fig. 4 is a right hand elevation corresponding to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Fig. s; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section through the chambers-d part of'cap 8, on line 5 6 of Fig. 2.

Referring toA the drawings in detail, the plug element proper of the invention comprises the usual center conducting rod or pin i terminating in the outer contacting tip 2. Concentric with and spaced from rod i is the outer conducting sleeve 3. The outer and inner conductors 3 and i, respectively, are spaced apart and electrically separated by an intervening sleeve 4 of insulation. These three parts, collectively, constitute a plug proper. The butt end of the plug proper, which includes the input or cable ends of conductors i and 3 are integrally7 embedded in the thin planiforrn base half 5 0f a cable gripping or clamping case disposed with its major plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis or" conductors i and 3' (assembled). The case is also elongated in thisv plane, extending much farther from the plugin one direction than in the other along the axis of the cord inlet i3 later described herein. The rod l is headed at I6 on its base end and threaded at its outer end, and the tip 2 is interiorly threaded and screwed thereonto and against a dead section Il of the plug consisting of an enlarged cylindrical part of the insulation li of the same diameter as, and set against the outer end of the sleeve 3. This insulation 4' is formed in two sleeve parts which are shown as lapped intermediately of the length of the rod l (althoughy this continuity is not essential), and the inner end portion is ianged at I8 adjacent the head le. A contact Washer Isis engaged around the rod I and clamped between the flange i8 and head I. This Washer has a prong 2d extended a distance in the plane of the washer and then bent at right angles and extended through the planiiorm face of the base opposite the plug to constitute the terminal or binding post e before mentioned. The base oi the sleeve 3 is set against a similar larger contact Washer 2! set around the insulation 4 and clamped between the sleeve and ange I8. This washer has a short prong 22 extendedv diametrically opposite the prong 2S and at a proper distance bent at right angles to form a second terminal or binding post l, parallel to terminal 6 and extending through the same face of the base. The tip, sleeve contact 3", insulation li, and the washers la' and 2i thus comprise a unit assembly which is rigidly held together by the coengagement ofthe tip and stem. In production the base of the sleeve 3 is set in and through one side of the mold for the base 5, the terminals t and l extend. through the far side of the mold, and the base body is moulded around( the parts, so that the prongs 2S and 2v2 are permanently enclosed and locked within the body of the base In the molding, one end of the body 5 is formed with a thick block 23 oi uniform thickness dening the thickness and width of the base 5, and at the opposite end portion a similarly thickened end portion 25 is formed, separated from the block 23 by a transverse recess 25 spaced suiciently from the washers and head l, with rounded salients and a sloping side 2@ extending close to the posts 6 and l'. The completed base thus has only the conventional coaxial two-contact plug showing on the outer ilat side near one end, and at the opposite inner side only two short terminals 5 and 'I project from the flat surface of the block 23. The cap 8 is deeply recessed over the block 23 and recess 25, so as to form the chamber 5. The short end of the case may be semicircular in plan as at the upper end of Fig. 2, but the opposite or inlet end is rectangular. Any one of a large number oi well known insulating plastics may be used for base 5. In order to readily connect a cooperating or cap member 8, of similar plastic material to the base member 5, internally threaded metal nut cups or sockets 9 are embedded in the base 5 at time oi molding exposed at the inner face oi the base. Cap member 8--of the same outline as base l and adapted to fit ilush thereonis provided with screw-head recesses l@ in its outer surface and bores li concentric therewith and leading therefrom aligned with the threaded bores in cups Headed clamping screws i2 passed through ll are threaded into 9 to connect 5 and i5. When turned in tight they clamp the two parts tightly together, and also locir to the case the sheathed end portion o a conventional two-wire cord or cable, as will appear. When turned out or unscrewed suiciently they unclamp the members and permit complete removal of the cap li, and allow inspection o, or work on, conventional wire connections exposed on the base.

Base 5 and cap 8 are thickened at the inlet ends and formed with cooperating, complementary, circumferentially ribbed, semi-cylindrical opposed bore parts i3 having circumscribing longitudinally inclined and inwardly directed biting or anchoring ribs ifi. As will be seen on reerence to Figs. 3 and 4, in assembled relation, constitute a cord inlet extending inwardly to the chamber l5 in the cap the recess 25 in the base 5, communicating with binding posts 6 and The cap 8 is made as a. shell chambered as at l5 so that contact-s t and 'i extends freely thereinto with ample clearance for slack in insulated conductors extended beyond the conventional woven or other protective sheath of a conductor cord or cable when the device is completely assembled, as will be readily understood. As will be clear, a telephone plug cord or cable end clamped in bores i3 will be in position to have its conductors connected to the binding posts 5 and l, selectively, since the bores are coaxial with the major dimension of the base, and in its longer end portion.

In using the invention, the desired cable end, with its conductor ends connected to the binder posts 6 and 'l is pressed into the semi-cylindrical portion of bore i3 of the base 5 and the cap l is then positioned and clamped in position by screws l2. As those screws are dra-Wn tight, the ribs ifion both base and cap bit firmly into the cable, anchoring it securely to the connector. Since constant movement of cables where they enter the bore or opening i3 will ultimately chate the braid or insulation and tend to permit the cable to pull against the connections at the binding posts 5 and 6, it is of advantage that the recess 25 is adapted to receive a knot, as customarily formed in insulated Wires where practicable in conventional plugs to cushion stresses and strains applied to lead in wires of fixtures and plugs. In this case the knot will form a bearing against the end face of the case around the openingr i3, and prevent external tension on the cable from being communicated to the wire at the binding post connections. With the device thus assembled, it may be plugged in the usual manner, the length of parts I and 3 being such that they are completely received within the cooperating jack and panel ferrule, and when the latter is countersunk the base 5 lies ush with or ilat against the panel, Wall, box or other surface in which the plug-in connection is made. The cable or cord, clamped between base 5 and cap 8 and securely anchored by ribs lll, may hang pendant at right angles to the plug l and 3, parallel with and approximately on the surface of the panel, Wall, etc., free of all loops, sharp bends etc., and subject to the least possible damage by vibration. When inserted in a floor outlet, the cord will lie flat against the floor.

Such a. construction and disposition of parts is of particular value in use in air planes in which the space is frequently too limited or restricted to permit the plug-in connection known and; used prior to this invention.

By this invention, all parts are immediately ready for use. It is only necessary to connect the cable conductors in usual and well known manner to the binder posts 6 and T and clamp cap 8 in place by screws i2. The device is then ready to plug in.

Changes may be made in the Construction, arrangement arid disposition of the several parts of the invention within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In a telephone type plug, the combination: a generally flat thin base of moulded insulating material, a plug proper extending from the principal outer face thereof normal to the major plane of the base, so that the Whole has a T- shape, said plug proper comprising coaxial conductors having respective mutually spaced conductor butts and washers permanently cast within the material of the base, a cover on the base opposite the plug proper and constituting with the base a case, a cord opening formed in the case radial to the axis of the plug proper and conductor-connecting terminals for each washer characterized by said case being extended full width toward said cord opening from the plug proper, a transverse deep knot-holding recess being formed immediately inward of and wider than said cord opening, the base having a major thickened planiform end portion around the plug proper with parallel planiform inner and outer faces normal to said axis and extending flush to the opposite lateral edges of the base, respective said terminals being formed on the washers extended parallel to and between said parallel faces then rectilinearly at right angles within the material of the base to and through and beyond the said inner face as short stubs spaced Widely within the area of said major thickened end portion free for access from all sides, said cover being a thin planiform member tted to the base and chambered around said terminals and over said transverse recess, said base and cover having coextensive opposed thickened extreme end parts formed with registered parts of said cord opening.

JAMES EDWIN WTLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Carter Sept. 3, 1929 McCloy et al. Aug. 21, 1934 Grant et al. June 9, 1936 Albbott Mar. 29, 1938 Piltz Jan. 10, 1939 Nelson Dec. 5, 1939 Travers Apr. 15, 1941 Perkins July 15, 1941 

